Conventional machine tool coolant collection flumes include a single trough that communicates machine tool coolant from a machine tool to a filtering station. In the alternative, a main trough is intersected by tributary troughs that communicate machine tool coolant from a plurality of machine tools to the main trough and the trough in turn communicates the machine tool coolant therein to the filtering station. Such systems are disclosed in assignee's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,940 and often include a plurality of low volume, high velocity flush nozzles to facilitate the coolant flow.
It is at the intersection of the tributary troughs with the main trough that machine tool coolant backs up causing contaminants suspended in the coolant to settle out. Also, turbulence on the surface of the machine tool coolant at the intersection of the main and tributary troughs creates misting, which is undesirable, and foaming, which can cause a pump downstream to cavitate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,431,367; 1,348,554; 1,114,573; 1,042,792; and 1,434,337 disclose channel flow systems and were uncovered during a search conducted on the invention.